The Indianapolis journal., 1887-09-14
ALDERMANIO ACTION.

The action of the Democratic aldermen,
Monday night, was direct insult to the Cen
trail Labor Union and indirectly to every per-
son opposed to the present street-railroad
monopoly and in favor of a better service.
We venture the assertion that it would be
hard to find in the records of any municipal
body a more fragrant case of abject submission
to monopoly in spite of public interests and
public wishes than the one we refer to. And
it was not one vote, but several The Demo
cratic aldermen, Brown, Cosby, King, Laut
and Schmidt voted for the monopoly time and
again, different phases of different ques-
tons, and finally emphasized their action by
insulting the Central Labor Union. The
Journal has already expressed its opinion of
the action of the Council in directing the Citi-
zens company to construct a line to Haugh-
vile, along Michigan street, after having
already granted the of that street to the
cable company. This action of the Council
could not be defended on any ground of con-
sistency or justice. Not only is the Citizens
company not entitled to any further fran
chises or favorable consideration whatever,
but the Council estopped from granting
the use of West Michigan street by the previ-
Gus grant to another company. This action
of the Council ought not to have met with
any support whatever in the Board of Alder
men, but it did Every Democratic member
of the board, with the exception or Mr.. Rail,
voted to concur in the action of the Council.
Alderman King, who has political aspirations
in another direction, seemed anxious to adver-
tse his devotion to the monopoly by moving
that the board so concur. and all the Demo
Gratis except Rail voted for the motion, the
Republicans voting solidly against it. The
same division occurred Oh the resolution
requiring the Citizens company to put con-
ductors and platforms on their cars.
The resolution on this subject passed the
Council time ago, and the
question in the board on
concurring with the Council. All the
Republicans voted in favor of concurring, and
all the Democrats, except Rail, against con-
curing, thus again placing themselves on
record in favor of letting monopoly do as it
pleases. But the most significant vote OF the
evening was that on the petition of the Gen.
tral Labor Union. This petition, in the name
of the union and of many thousands of peo-
pie, protested against the granting of any
further franchises to the old company and
asked that the board concur with the Coun-
ellis action relative to conductors and plat
forms The least the board could do with a
respectful petition from such source was
to receive it in respectful manner. Alder
man Prier moved that it be so received, and
Mr.. King moved to lay that motion on the
table. The effect of this probably would
have been to lay the petition the table;
at all events it a hostile motion: The
Democratic members of the board, with the
single exception above noted, voted to table
the subject This was in effect vote to
iect the petition of the Labor Union. The
Republicans voted solidly against it, and, with
the aid of one Democrat defeated it, and
succeeded in having the petition received.
This the most significant vote of alls
because, in addition to other elements it
showed open defiance of the wishes of the
W0fklnSuen, ana Willingness 10 puUAicly
insult them for the sake of defending the
johnson monopoly. These votes show that
Democratic members of the board, except
Mr. Rail, are owned by the street-railroad
company, and that regard for the rights or
interests of the people, as against the monop-
oily, need be expected in that quarter. The
remedy consists in reorganizing the board by
the election of men who will serve the people
instead of monopoly.